Lubricator



` beingin operative position.

` detail sectional view showing the relative po- `is a top view of thenozzle attachment in its i UMTEDV STATES PATENT OEEicE.

EZRA E.`WITTER, OF MILFORD CENTRE, OHIO.

LU BRLCATO R.

SPE(LIIEICA'IIOLT forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,153, datedFebruary *7, 1893.

l'lpplicationv filed March Z4, 1891. Renewed June 80, 1892. Serial No.438,637. (Modal.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, EZRA F.. WITTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milford Centre, Union county, Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the constructio and arrangement of automaticvalves for 1ubricators, and has for its object to provide means whichwill effectually exclude all foreign substances from the lubricators andbearings in combination with which they are employed. i

Broadly considered my invention consists of a perforated flexible diskapplied to the inlet or exit opening of a lubricator, the elasticity ofthe disk keeping the perforation normally closed but allowing it to beopened for the admission of the lubricant. v

I will first describe my invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and then `more particularly point out in the claims what I deemas new therein.

In said drawings:-Figure I is a side elevation of an oil can havingmyimprovements tional view of an oil can and lubricator cup havingmyimprovements attached, the parts Fig. III is a perspective view of theoil can nozzle and attachments, all of the parts being detached fromtheir normal positions. Fig. IIIa is a modified form of nozzleattachment. Fig. IV

normal or closed position. Fig. V is a similar view showing the nozzleprotruding. Fig. VI is a perspective view of the perforated plate forsupporting the automatic valve `on the nozzle. Fig. VII is a plan viewof the yoke. Fig. VIII is a plan View of one form of my improvedlubricator cup. Figs. VIIIa and VIII" are detail views showing thepreferredV form of mylubricator cup. Fig. IX is a sition of the screwcap, carrying the flexible disk, to the end of the nozzle.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral views.

I have shown my invention as applied to the nozzle of an oil can, andalso as applied to the ordinary form of oil cup such as is used forbicycle bearings.

A is the oil can, having the customary internally screw threaded neck Bformed integral therewith. l

C is the nozzle provided with an externally screw-threaded base cadapted to engage in the neck B, and a iianged ring or collar D f1ttingaround said neck. This nozzle C is preferably of the peculiar shape asshown kin the drawings; it is formed with an enlarged base c as usual,but instead of lthe customary tapered form it has a contracted centraltubular portion c', and a still further contracted tubular portion c2 atthe end. The purpose of this peculiar construction will be hereinafterpointed out and thoughit is not essential to the operation 4of thedevice it is preferred.

E is a circular plate having a central perforation c through which thenozzle C passes, two smaller perforations c', c through which suitableguide rods pass and an annular groove e2 surrounding the centralperforation e on its upper side for the reception of the coiled end of aspiral spring.

F, F, are two guide rods provided with screw threadedends floevelednotched ends or heads f and notches f2.

G is a centrally perforated yoke adapted to it over the nozzle C andprovided with perforated projections or lugs g, g, through theperforations of which the rodsF pass. The notches of the heads f of therods F fit over the edge of the collar D and the perforated lugs g, g ofthe yoke G engage in the notches f2 and thereby firmly secure said rodsto the collar D and brace them against endwise'movement so that theywill always assume the properposition. The heads f are beveled on theirends to prevent interfering with the neck B. f

H is a spiral spring surrounding the nozzle C and confined thereonbetween the yoke G and the circular plate E, said plate E being confinedby means of the screw nuts f3 which l engage with the screw threadedends of the guide rods. The plate E has formed on its under surface aninternally screw threaded annular collar c3 as shown in Fig. VI.

K is atubular sleeve having screw threaded portions k, k at its ends,the end 7c being adapted to engage in the screw threaded col- IOO lar e3of the plate E and confine between it and the base of said plate aperforated flexi lble washer L, which fits snugly around the centralcylindrical portion c of the nozzle C and prevents the entrance of anyforeign substance into the sleeve K.

M is a cap-piece internally screw-threaded `and adapted to engage theouter end 7c of said sleeve K.

N is a slit or perforated fiexible disk confined between said sleeve Kand the cap-piece M, the perforation of said disk being preferably intheform of a short slit.

In Fig. III'pl I have shown a modified coustruction of the outer end ofthe sleeve K. Instead of the screw-threaded portion k2 and the screw-capM carrying the disk N, in this modification ofthe sleeve K is formedwith an outwardly and upwardly curved flange 7e3 and arubber or othersuitable elastic cap or thimble N is provided having a contracted neck nfor engaging with the collar or flange 7c3. This thimble N is providedwith a slit n2 as in the flexible disk N. C represents the nozzle asin-the other views, the operation of the parts being substantially thesame. \Vl1en the parts are in their closed or normal position as shownin Figs-I, III, IV and IX, the end of the nozzle is just inside of thefiexible disk N, the slit in said disk being closed, by its elasticity.When it is desired to use the oil, the nozzle is thrust through the slitin the flexible disk N, into the lubricator cup O, against the action ofthe spring H, by pressing the edge of the cap M (carried by the sleeve Kand plate E) against the edge of the lubricator cup, (as shown in Fig.II) which allows the oil to iiow out into the cup, the nozzle and guiderods sliding through their respective perforations in the plate E.

After the required amount ofq oil has passed,

the pressure is removed and the spiral spring forces the parts back totheir normal position,

the perforated flexible disk N fitting snugly around the end of thenozzle and removing all dirt which may have adhered thereto when it Wasinserted in the cil cup or other journal lubricator. The flexibleWashers or disks L and N rest respectively upon the tubular portions cand cfaof the nozzle around which they fit snugly and prevent the entryof any dirtV into the sleeve K and consequently into the nozzle tube C.

When my improved oil can is to be used without the aid of the oil cup,the plate E carrying the sleeve K and cap-piece M, is pushed inwardlyagainst the action of the spring H, by means of the thumb and finger,

until the end of the nozzle protrudes through the slit in the flexibledisk Q and the oil Y iiows out as usual.

formed integral therewith.

ed cap fitting on the screw threaded top of .the oil cup and securingbetween it and the oil cup a perforated fiexible disk Q; which disk isof the same form and structure as the disk N. The object of theperforated or slit flexible disk in this instance is the same, that isto exclude the entrance of foreign substances. But my preferred form oflubricator cup is shown in Figs. VIII"L and VIIlb. In this form the cupO is provided with an outwardly and downwardly curved fiange o at top,over which an elastic cap or thimble Q is adapted to fit, said thimblebeing provided with a contracted retaining neck q for engaging with theflange o and securely holding the thimble in place. It is obvious thatthe elasticity of the thimble will hold it in place. This thimble Q ismade much thicker at q where it is perforated for the reception of anoil can nozzle. If it is desired the thimble Q can be made verysatisfactorily as shown in Fig. VIII", with a cup or annular flange q2This form is advantageous for catching any oil drips from the nozzle andthereby preventing the waste of oil, and it also serves to strengthenthe thimble.

When the lubricant is to be inserted in an oil cup of my improvedconstruction the nozzle C of an oil can is thrust through the slit asshown in Fig. II, the flexibility of the disk allowing the perforationto expand for this purpose, and the elasticity of the disk automaticallyclosing the perforation when the nozzle is withdrawn.

It is obvious that my invention could be employed in combination withvarious forms and constructions of lubricators, which are not hereinshown, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

l. The combination in a lubricator, of a suitable oil receptacle, aperforated flexible cap or thimble fitting over the mouth of saidreceptacle, and provided with an annular flange or thickened portionaround said perforation in the thimble for strengthening it around saidperforation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of an oil can, and its nozzle, with a suitableperforated valve-car Vrying device supported on said nozzle, and aperforated flexible disk or valve carried by ysaid device, theperforation in said disk being IOO IIO

device for holding it normally at the outer end of the nozzle, theperforation of said disk or valve being normally closed, and the nozzlebeing adapted to slide through said device for opening the valve,substantially as herein set forth.

4. The combination of an oil can, and its nozzle, with a perforatedvalve-carrying device, a flexible vdisk or valve having a normallyclosed outlet and carried bysaid device, guide rods supported from thenozzle and passed through suitable perforations in the valve carryingdevice, and a spiral spring confined between the base of said nozzle andsaid device, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of an oil can, and its nozzle, with the plate Ehaving an opening e through its center and perforations e', e', to theside of the central opening, a perforated iiexible disk carried by saidplate, guide rods F secured to the base of the nozzle and passingthrough the perforations e e', the yoke Gr for bracing the rods, thespiral spring H surrounding the nozzle and confined between the basethereof and the plate E, and means for confining the plate E on theguide rods and nozzle, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of an oil can and its nozzle, a sleeve mounted uponsaid nozzle, perforated flexible disks secured to the opposite ends ofsaid sleeve and also mounted on said nozzle, and means for confiningsaid sleeve on the nozzle, whereby the nozzle can base of the nozzle andsaid sleeve for keeping it normally out at the end of the nozzle,

and means for conning said sleeve on the nozzle, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination of an oil can, the sleeve carrying the perforatedflexible disks, the nozzle C having two contracted tubular portions o',and c2, around which the iexible disks are respectively snugly fitted,and means for confining the sleeve on the nozzle, substantially as setforth.

9. The combination of an oil can, and its nozzle, the plate E supportedon the nozzle, the sleeve K, the perforated flexible disks L and N, aspiral spring confined between the plate E and the base of the nozzle,guide rods supported from the base of the nozzle and passing throughsuitable perforations in the plate E, and means for confining the plateE, upon the nozzle and guide rods, substantially as set forth.

EZRA E. VVITTER.

Witnesses:

SPENCER GARwooD, A. H. GooDWINE.

